Next year South Kensington will be celebrating 200 years since the birth of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's birth with events across the area. Over 20 cultural and educational organisations will come together to mark the occasion with a special celebration over the weekend of 29th/30th June - more details will follow. Kensington Palace will also be in the spotlight with a major new exhibition alongside a re-presentation of the rooms the young Victoria called home which will reveal the story of the girl destined to be queen.
Sticking with the royal theme, if you haven't seen Diana: Her Fashion Story at Kensington Palace yet you better get it in the diary as it ends in February. The Last Tsar: Blood and Revolution is on at the Science Museum which explores the mysterious and fascinating lives of the last royal family of Russia. The Science Museum continue to amaze with their stunning visuals and interactive experiences in an exhibition about the Sun which runs until May. Don't miss Superbugs: The Fight for Our Lives which ends in March.
The V&A will be putting on the much anticipated Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition which opens in February and runs through to July. Their Mary Quant exhibition which runs from April to early 2020 will be an important celebration of the British fashion designer. It's the last chance to see Fashioned from Nature and Videogames which both end in early 2019. If you're interested in architecture (or biscuits) go and see Gingerbread City. The V&A also have exhibitions lined up on FOOD, Tim Walker and Cars later in the year.
The Royal Albert hall has a huge varied events schedule in 2019 including the stunning, mind-blowing Cirque de Soleil will their new show Totem. The whole family can enjoy Disney's Broadway Hits in March. Hear from London’s most vital, dynamic and original artists in the Hall's Unstoppable Voices series running until April. The Hall will also continue their fantastic Late Night Jazz programme in 2019 as well as offering visitors the chance to go Behind the Scenes or uncover secrets about the Hall in a Grand Tour.
The Natural History Museum has a fabulous range of exhibitions including the world renowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition until June and Life in the Dark which runs until the end of February. They have an exciting selection of evening events too of which the Silent Disco is always a highlight as well as their Lates programme, Crime Scene Live, Movie Nights at the Museum and even Dino Snores sleepovers for both kids and grown-ups!
Over at the Design Museum Home Futures explores whether 20th century architects and designers were correct in their predictions of what homes will look like now. January is the last month of Peter Barber: 100 Mile City and Other Stories showcasing over twenty years of the architect's work, taking visitors through the solutions and suggestions from working on the forefront of social housing in the UK. On 2nd February, a new exhibition, David Adjaye: Making Memory provides the opportunity to experience the storytelling power of architecture through an exploration of seven monumental projects from this celebrated architect. At the end of April, film lovers can get inside the world of Stanley Kubrick, one of the greatest film makers of the 20th Century.
The 31st January is the Institut Français' Night of Ideas which focuses on the themes Europe Beyond Walls and Our Earth Here and Now. They also have a special programme of workshops for the little ones and a week of events in the run up to the night. Keep an eye on their Ciné Lumiere programme for a mix of classic and modern French films.
The Serpentine Gallery calendar is jam-packed full of thought-provoking, multi-faceted art exhibitions. Atelier E.B: Passer By is on until June, displaying designs from a collaborative fashion label. Immerse yourself in Pierre Huyghe's UUmwelt where he's created a visual representation of human thought. Visitors can have an interactive gallery experience with Serpentine Mobile Tours providing access to additional content, including artist interviews and curator tours, from the Serpentine’s internationally acclaimed Exhibition and Architecture Programmes.
They Royal Society of Sculptors offer a brilliant, free Mixed Media Mash Up drop-in workshop on 27th January which is great for family fun! They will also exhibit the winners of their annual Bursary Awards up until February, supporting early-career artists with no formal training.
If you want to get fit in 2019 you can register your interest to take part in the annual Royal Parks Half Marathon starting in Hyde Park in October.
Finally, don’t forget to keep an eye out for the wide variety of other events going on in South Kensington! An exciting schedule for Royal College of Music events and concerts is due to be released soon. Leighton House Museum, Goethe-Institut, Japan House are all open to the public with many interesting permanent installations. There is one exciting series of lectures, tours and talks that are open to all at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).
